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Wed Mar 13, 2019 8:47 pm

Hey everyone. This summer I will be taking my buggy on an 8 hour trip to my family’s lake house in northern Wisconsin. What do you guys, who take your buggies on long hauls, do to prepare the buggy and yourself to prevent break downs and if something does come up, to fix it?

Thu Mar 14, 2019 3:08 am

I make sure all the PM is done and then go.
I also don’t fool myself into thinking I’ll be doing any serious roadside repairs so I carry a small tool kit, a belt, a clutch and throttle cable. Also a set of points. Anything past that I’ll call AAA.

Enjoy.
AMAC

Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:58 am

We have done several 3 and 4 hour trips and two 10 hour trips in the last 2 summers. As far as the Buggy goes, attention to detail when you are working on it is paramount to making it dependable. Then lots of short runs locally to show up any deficiencies you have missed. We do not take any spares when we go, not even a spare tire, just a few wrenches. We have carried a couple of jerry cans of gas because the old Beetle tank only give us about 3.5 hours of range but so far we have not needed to use them.

Preparation for yourself however is pretty important if you want to have a good experiance. Ear plugs for exhaust and or wind noise, hats that tie on and sunscreen for sun and wind burn, sun glasses (yes you can sun burn your eyes too!), good quality rain suits for the rain showers and put them on early not after you are half soaked! Water proof gloves and shoes too.

Now to prepare for those gully washers that catch us all from time to time. The ones that find all the bikes parked under the bridges and overpasses only there are no bridges and overpasses... a tarp and bungie straps big enough to cover the Buggy and you can get under it until the squall passes. You can't drive in it anyway because you can't see. Both sides of the windshield and your glasses are rivers of water and your light Buggy is hydro-planning too bad anyway! After the cloud burst is over you shake off the water and use the tarp and straps to wrap your luggage in.

Don't forget to take lots of warm layers too for those evening and night runs. You will be surprised at how quick it cools off when the sun goes down!

Happy motoring, nothing quite like it!

Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:45 am

I'm a wuss - I would just invest $80 in a VW front beam tow bar and tow it behind your daily driver. You won't know its there after an hour of driving (NO backing up with it attached). Nasty weather can make a trip miserable as can a roadside break down. Years later you might laugh about it but at the time it isn't any fun at all. 4 hours would be my max with family members with me.

I always have on hand - carb rebuild kit, hunk of gas line w/clamps, fan belt, set of front wheel bearing, grease, oil, brake fluid, jack and spare tire.

Thu Mar 14, 2019 8:55 am

Good luck on your trip, here's an older post from some years ago that talks about what we bring on long trips...

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=361217

Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:44 am

I'm with Wolfie.. I would treat it like a vintage Chris-Craft; tow it. There are tons of great rides around Rt. 2 as there would be for a Chris. I could spend many hours touring either.

...and, have the confidence that I had a 'tow truck' back at the cabin. It would be a 'vacation buster' looking for parts and help up there.

Jim

Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:36 am

Drive it........that’s what they are for.

We are heading to the Big Bear Meet again.

3500 miles of great views and great country.

Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:38 pm

clonebug wrote: Drive it........that’s what they are for.

We are heading to the Big Bear Meet again.

3500 miles of great views and great country.
Yes!!

I have always wrenched my own VWs as far back as the late '60s when they were our only means of transportation so I have no fear of my ability at all.

On our first trip to Vernon BC (22 hours round trip) the Buggy quit 1/2 way there on a mountain pass. Everything went stone dead so I knew it was a bad connection. I just wiggled the connector that plugs into the base of the ignition switch and we had action. It slid in about a 1/2" further and we were golden, only lost about 15 mph! That was the only incident on that trip, fixed it on the fly and it has never repeated since. We even towed a trailer and canoe on that first trip!

At the summit of the Rodger's Pass, lots of smoke from forest fires!

On our second trip there last September the transaxle popped out of 4th a couple times so I checked the fluid level on arrival. It was good so just a case of old age. The trip home saw it get a bit more frequent indicating it's time to look into it. Oh and that was a fresh engine with only about 500 miles on it before we left.

Our Grand daughter was happy to see us in it as you can see!

Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:55 pm

Vincent is likely the best example of surviving long trips.... I dont know of anyone else that has DRIVEN their buggy to the 49 continental states.
Or ask Joe Wheeler who bas accompanied Vincent and France on many of those trips.
They have great experience with preparation!
Talk about Iron Butt Awards.... Vincent should get a lifetime achievement award. And he and France are close to unveiling another new buggy so they can start over.....

I wish I still had their spunk!

Paul

Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:35 am

Our goal some day soon before we are too old is to have driven this Buggy to both Canadian coasts and dipped the tires in the water. We have been within easy striking distance of the west coast twice now so the east is next. Friends of ours have done the east run on motorbikes so a Buggy should be easier!

Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:50 pm

Make sure you have good tires, check the lug nuts torque, check oil, check air pressure.

In 2013 I switched over to EFI....it was hands down the best thing I ever did.

I have done many weekend trips of 1000 miles and the California trip of 3500 miles and never had any engine issues.

I have no idea what kind of issues a carb and distributor engine would have since I haven't had either for 6 years.

Treat it like a daily driver with good maintenance and it should take you anywhere.

I know Vincent has had issues on the road...he did have a fuel pump puke on him......I think it was Joe that had a Valve spring break on him......they cobbed something together and made it work.

Take a tow rope with you if you have any doubts...or make sure you have AAA.
I did have AAA and had the tow bar sitting in my pickup with a Brother that would do a power run to save me if needed.
I did it for him when his Harley quit 900 miles away......we drove all night and delivered his other one to him in Billings, Montana so he could continue on to Sturgis.

Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:03 pm

Ah, yes! It's always good to have a spare Harley Davidson but you won't need a spare VW!! :wink:

Fri Mar 15, 2019 5:16 pm

Well the buggy is being built right now. About 3-4 weeks out until completion I estimate. It has new tires. Engine has had all its maintenance done to it. Fuel pump, carb, and distributor are all brand new. Basically anything that was on the car before it was turned into a buggy was replaced. I do have a little oil leak from a cylinder head cover but have new gaskets for them so that shouldnt be an issue. I do need to check trans fluid levels and change that. Also need to do an oil change. I will be installing a hitch and the wiring for a trailer to the engine cage so I have the option to pull one and throw some more emergency parts if needed (along with bags and other gear).

Fri Mar 15, 2019 6:31 pm

We traveled light on our trip to Big Bear.

Two small bags and a soft ice chest. We were gone for 13 days but stayed in hotels every night.
Some days were close to 500 miles a day and having a hot shower and a cool room was worth every penny.
We saw temps from 38*F to 106*F so make sure you carry enough clothes, water and sun screen.

Fri Mar 15, 2019 7:58 pm

Oh - oh!

Did you say brand new fuel pump, carb and distributor?

I don't like the sounds of that! I hope you kept the old ones for spares... :shock:

Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:38 pm

The old ones were either broken or missing in action. Dont worry. Bought german replacements

Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:36 pm

Everyone else has shared great advice.

After getting my buggy back on the road a year ago, and after getting comfortable driving it around town and going a little further out each time, I drove it to Seattle and back in a day for a the VW Nationals at Pacific Raceways. 350 or so miles, nothing huge compared to what others here have done, but definitely an adventure knowing that it was just me and my little car, built with my own two hands out of mostly 40 and 50 year old parts, out on the open road.

I daily drove a '68 bus for a dozen years, so I'm used to the old VW experience. It had just been a really long time for me. I bought a small fabric bag to fit in the spare tire well and threw in the following tools and spare parts, just in case:

- Box / open end wrenches in mm, 10/11/12/13/14/15/17/18
- 3/8 sockets in mm, 10/11/12/13/14/15
- 3/8 ratchet and extension
- Large, medium and small flathead and phillips head screwdrivers
- Medium crescent wrench
- Medium pliers and vice grips
- Hammer
- Roll of bailing wire
- Roll of duct tape and electrical tape
- Can of Fix-a-Flat (no spare)
- Spare belt
- Spare distributor, prepped to drop-in and go
- Spare fuel pump
- Extra fuses
- Probably a couple more little things I'm forgetting

I also carry a fire extinguisher and an extra quart of oil. Sunscreen (as previously mentioned), and water to drink, especially if your buggy has no top.

The most important tool these days, in addition to whatever tools you bring with you, is a charged cell phone.

Because I had taken care of all of the maintenance items already, and I was reasonably confident in the car's (and my) abilities from making fairly local trips around town, I made the trip to Seattle and back without any issues. It was a great confidence builder, and a fun memory.

Bkhansen93 wrote: Hey everyone. This summer I will be taking my buggy on an 8 hour trip to my family’s lake house in northern Wisconsin. What do you guys, who take your buggies on long hauls, do to prepare the buggy and yourself to prevent break downs and if something does come up, to fix it?

Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:00 am

Bkhansen93 wrote: The old ones were either broken or missing in action. Dont worry. Bought german replacements
There is good news!

On one of our trips we were 3.5 hours from home, fueling up when I noticed a big old nail stuck in the tread on a back tire. Thinking I was not in the mood for a flat in the mountain pass with no spare so my next stop was the closest tire shop/auto service center located in a shopping mall. The service writer did up a work sheet and handed it with the keys to a tech in the back who wandered around in the parking lot looking for the Buggy until I went out and showed him the car. He looked in and said "Is that a standard shift?" "You better drive it in for me!" :shock: :roll:

You know you are old when a mid 30 year old mechanic has just had his first look at a car with a clutch peddle!!

Sat Mar 16, 2019 1:52 pm

That was a 8000 mile round trip. About 2 hours after taking that photo, I broke the valve spring. The tow rope I carried was used to pull me about 40 KM by Vincent's rear bumper, which was held on by 4 M8 bolts. Fixed it with a Ford 300 straight 6 used spring.

On the 4 trips across the North American Continent, these are the items I remember being broken by not just me, but others on the trips:

Me:
Fuel pumps. The crappy Facet pumps suck. I am up to about 8 now, with 5 being taken out in the Baja Race alone.
Valve Spring
Loose connection on Battery
China IRS Rear Wheel Bearing. Lost two new bearing within the first 8500 miles on the buggy. Replaced with good German and still in it 66,000 miles later.

Others:
Fuel pumps
Voltage regulator
Stopped up Air Cleaners
Lost bolt on Exhaust manifold
Leaking Swing Axle Boot
Loose Charging Wire
Lost fenders on motorcycle trailer
Dry Cell Battery internally shorted
Relay went bad on EFI fuel system
Wheel bearing eaten on bent spindle
Blown Paper Exhaust gasket
Lost Reverse, then 2nd
Clogged Idle Jets
Busted Windshield
Venturi Fell down holding throttle open

That list is about a 300,000 mile accumulative list of many buggies I have ridden with. A decent assortment of tools, a few crucial parts, (Belt, fuel pump, fuses, points, spark plug and small stuff) and go have fun. Solving a break down is a cool adventure.

Sat Mar 16, 2019 2:33 pm

Some day I dream of making the Yukon run too. It's really not that far from here! Our biker friends are talking about doing it too but I'm not sure... they have a Harley... hate to show them up too badly on the reliability thing. :D